保護者[Protector]
By Twin Kats, twinkats, Twin-Kats, Ash Sullivan
Chapter: 一
He knew immediately who the little boy Ran brought home was, how could he not? A police detective and a mystery writer, the best of friends only surpassed by their children. How many times had he seen that very same sheepish smile on such a young face? How many times had he watched a boy with that specific cowlick, and those blue eyes, and that childish laugh run circles with his little girl?
No, he hadn't been fooled in the slightest. After all the years, and all the jokes, the diaper changes and soccer practices and karate...even the privately shared knowing looks, because yes the adults knew what the children felt long before the children knew themselves. It was a police detective's daughter and a mystery writer's son—the match made in heaven!
Not that he'd, or any of them—Yusaku, Yukiko, Eri or himsef—would ever tell Ran or Kudo that. It would ruin the carefully crafted image he'd given himself! He, the great Mouri Kogoro! Meitantei, famous even! Or so he said as he played contrast to genius child Kudo who pranced around like a detective despite the dangers. Kudo, who lived in that teenage bliss of infallibility. Kogoro would dance around as the monkey, making his measly wages, if it gave him the chance to help Kudo support Ran in the future by secretly supporting the teens career choice.
Seventeen years he'd spent, watching Kudo and Ran grow up from measly brats to strong willed teens. Seventeen years he'd spent and then Ran brings home this boy she called Edogawa Conan. Well, if Kudo wanted to play that game, then it was fine by him. Even Kogoro could blindly see that the brat had finally gotten himself into a mess of trouble he couldn't get out of so easily, after all. He wasn't blind, he just liked playing the fool is all.
And if Kudo need him, well, he'd always be there like a good father-in-law should. Like he'd always been. Perhaps, eventually, whatever contributions he could make to Kudo—no, Conan's situation—well, perhaps one day, somewhere...when all that arrogance has bled way into humility...
...Kudo would finally acknowledge the great Mouri Kogoro as his sensei! Or one of two sensei, because Yusaku would want to claim the title too even if all he did was write and not actually experience the gruesome details first hand. Mostly. Sometimes. Once in a while.
Ah, one could only dream.
I started this story because, honestly, I wanted to see more competent Mouri Kogoro. I don't think he's quite the fool that he's portrayed often in the anime or manga. He has his moments where he is sharp as a tack, so I think quite often he really is actually playing the fool. I also feel that Shinichi, for all his smarts and observation, is actually fairly foolish and naive. I find it hard to believe that not many people have realized or recognized him, especially those that knew him at the tender age of seven. I mean Ran's almost figured it out several times!
So I made this in response to my urges and desires and thus the drabble series, focusing on characters who are secretly in-the-know and playing along, or characters that have their own charades throughout the story for whatever reason. Mostly this will focus on Kogoro, but it'll jump to other's like Megure-keibu or Agasa-hakase or Sonoko or any number of people. It takes the realization that, despite being brilliant, Shinichi is still just a teenager, with all those faults, playing at being an adult.